The Pokemon World Cup
by pika2006
Summary: Ash, Misty and Brock have arrived at the World Cup. Will he win the tournament and become a Pokemon Master. There's only one way to find out, read on. R and R. COMPLETE...Read the full story now
1. Introduction and The Group Arrives

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon, or anything associated with it. I do own this story.

I wrote this story aboutthree months ago, aah...I remember it well...it wasin theautumn of 2005, when you could buy a packet of crisps for 50p (cents ifyou're American)...wait...oh...(ahem)

Anyway, join me as we go through an exciting tournament, it's time for...

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**The Pokemon World Cup**

**Introduction**

Four years since he started his journey, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town has finally made it to the Pokemon World Cup, the biggest Pokemon tournament in the world and the top event in the calendar. With help from his friends/coaches Misty and Brock he collected the 12 badges needed to qualify for the tournament. Now he has to defeat 31 other players in order to become the Pokemon World Champion and enter into the Hall of Fame as a Pokemon Master. The biggest challenge of Ash's life is finally here...

**Chapter 1: The Group Arrives**

It was a bright sunny afternoon as we followed the bus taking Ash and the 31 other contenders to the Pokemon Village to register and prepare for tonight's opening ceremony of the Pokemon World Cup. At about 3pm, the bus finally arrived at it's destination and everyone got off. Ash, Misty and Brock entered a large reception hall with desks in the middle and people getting themselves registered as contenders. They walked up to one of the desks.

'My name is Ash Ketchum and these are my friends Misty and Brock,' said Ash. 'OK, now I need to see your Pokedex please Ash' said the receptionist. Ash handed over his Pokedex. The receptionist scanned it and Ash was registered. He was then given a set of keys for their lodge that they were to spend the next month or so in. 'OK, thank you' said Ash.

'Don't forget the opening ceremony is tonight at 8pm.' said the receptionist.

They all went out of the building and took the short walk to their lodge. Theirs was in a group of three and when they got there they found their next-door neighbour unlocking the door to his lodge. 'Hello, I'm Ash' said Ash. 'And I'm Misty and he's Brock' said Misty. 'Oh, hi guys, I'm Thomas' said the boy as he walked into the house. 'I'll speak to you later. Nice to meet you guys' said Thomas. 'Well he seems alright' said Brock. 'I hope so. We've gotta live next door to him for the next month' said Misty.

They went into their lodge and for about a minute stood by the front door oohing and aahing at the look of the place. They walked into a hallway with stairs to their left, leading up to the bedrooms. Just ahead of them were several doors leading into the kitchen/dining area and the lounge. Brock went straight into the kitchen to prepare their food as there were just four hours until the opening ceremony. Misty and Ash went up to their rooms to make their beds and unpack their stuff. 'Food's ready in about an hour!' Brock called up from the kitchen.

An hour later, they all settled down for some food. After they finished that they went back upstairs to get ready for the journey to the stadium for the opening ceremony.

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That's the first chappie up...now, to wait for the reviews to start flowing in...

R and R

Pika2006, signing off


	2. The Opening Ceremony

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. I do own this story.

Right then, here's Chapter 2 of our journey intothe Pokemon World Cup**

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**Chapter 2: The Opening Ceremony**

_'...And welcome to the Indigo Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2005 Pokemon World Cup!' _said the announcer as the ceremony got underway. Backstage, tension was high as the 32 players prepared for their entrance. The crowds were massive and the world's media had congregated on the Indigo Stadium to witness a great event. Ash was chatting to Thomas, whom they had met on the way to their lodge. 'I'm from Pallet Town' said Ash. 'And I come from New York' said Thomas. 'I wonder who we're going to face first' said Ash. 'I dunno' said Thomas.

Back outside, the crowds were enjoying the performances taking place. Then they ended and the announcer came on. _'Thank you very much to the performers for that great show. Now it's time to welcome the most important people in this tournament, the contestants!' _The crowd cheered as the announcer named each contestant as they came through the tunnel. _'...next up, from Pallet Town, Japan, it's Ash Ketchum' _Ash came out of the tunnel to a roar from the crowd. Misty and Brock were sitting in a special area of the grandstands reserved for friends and family of the contenders. Ash's mum and Professor Oak were back in Pallet Town watching with most of the townsfolk (except for Gary Oak, who, of course, had also made it to the tournament) on TV in a pub. Ash stood by the press box for photos and then took his place next to the others. The announcer went through the other contestants, each getting a huge welcome from the crowd. In front of them was a big stage with a table on it and on the table was the trophy, the biggest prize in Pokemon. _'We wish the contenders and their Pokemon the best of luck. Now it's time to welcome our special guest to officially open the Pokemon World Cup, the President of the I.P.A (International Pokemon Authority), John Williams!' _The crowd cheered as the president walked on stage. 'I would like to start off by congratulating each and every one of you for collecting the 12 badges needed to qualify for the tournament. By accomplishing this, you have proved your readiness to take on each other for the title of Pokemon World Champion...' The president continued his speech.

'And now all that there is left for me to do is to declare the 2005 Pokemon World Cup...open!' The crowd cheered as he walked up the pathway towards the button which would launch the arrow up to light the flame. The crowd went silent. He pressed the button and an arrow went up over the contestants and lit the torch at the other end of the stadium, launching a barrage of fireworks all around the stadium. As the fireworks display came to an end, the stadium was showered with tickertape as a spectacular opening ceremony came to an end. The announcers voice came on. _'Ladies and gentlemen that concludes the opening ceremony of the Pokemon World Cup. We hope you all enjoy the tournament.'_

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Well, there ya have it. The tournament officially begins in the next chappie, so stay tuned. R and R 


	3. The First Round

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story

Chapter 3 now, and the tournament gets underway...

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Chapter 3: The First Round**

The next morning Ash, Misty and Brock went out to the reception, where the players were all deciding their opponents for the first round. Ash walked up to the desk. 'I'm here to choose my opponent' he said.

'OK, all you have to do is press this button when you feel ready and the random selector will slow down and eventually stop. The person whos photograph is on the screen will be your opponent. 'OK' said Ash. The screen started showing random photos, all going at a quick pace. Ash pressed the button. 'And your first opponent is...' said the receptionist. '...Tai Kitano.' 'I guess that's the guy I'm gonna beat' said Ash. 'Your match takes place in Stadium B at 2pm. Good Luck!' said the receptionist.

2pm arrived. Ash could feel the tension. He was sitting in the changing room when his rival came in to meet him. 'I'm Tai' said Tai. 'And I'm Ash' said Ash. They both shook hands. 'May the best man win' said Tai as he went away to his tunnel. Ash walked up to the entrance with Pikachu by his side.

_'And welcome to the 3rd match of the 1st round of the Pokemon World Cup!' _said the commentator. _'It's the battle of the Japanese as Yokohama's very own Tai Kitano takes on Pallet Town's Ash Ketchum. And here they are, entering the stadium to deafening roars from this amazing crowd gathered here today to witness what is a keenly-awaited contest between these two local champions.' _The referee came up to them. 'OK, 3 Pokemon each, first to two victories wins.' 'Right' they both said as they shook hands.

_'They go to their ends and the referee asks them to choose their Pokemon. Ash goes for...Bulbasaur and Tai chooses...Bellsprout. Grass vs grass, this could be interesting. Anyway, the ref starts the match and we're away!'_

'Bulbasaur, vine whip!' said Ash. _'Bulbasaur goes forward and does an incredible vine whip but Bellsprout blocks it with his own vines. Bellsprout goes ahead with a razor leaf and does some damage to Bulbasaur. Oooh, he really felt that one. Bulbasaur performs his counter-attack and it's...leech seed! This could be dangerous for Bellsprout...anyway here it comes...he's gathering energy...and performs a spectacular attack. It's draining all of Bellspout's energy...He's down on the floor!' _The referee holds up the green flag. 'Bellsprout is out. Ash wins round 1!'

_'A spectacular start to the match as Ash takes the first round. 1-0 to Ash. Now, who is Tai going to use next. He's going for...a Raichu. Another interesting clash.' _'Agility!' said Tai. _'Tai goes first in this battle. Raichu is confusing Bulbasaur and he takes some damage.' _'No!' said Ash 'Razor leaf, Bulbasaur.'

_'Bulbasaur hits back with a razor leaf. He hits Raichu hard but Raichu returns the favour with a thundershock, his most powerful attack. This could be the end for Bulbasaur.' _Misty and Brock were sitting on the benches near Ash. 'Oh dear,' said Brock, 'This is bad.' _'Bulbasaur on the floor. The referee comes up and holds the red flag, declaring victory for Tai. 1-1. It's all down to the final battle. One will go through to the 2nd round of the tournament, one will fall at the first hurdle. Ash chooses...Pikachu! This is going to be a spectacular final round. The crowd are up for this. Pikachu walks out onto the battleground...and kicks off with a thunderbolt attack. Raichu isn't touched at all. Raichu comes forward with electric shock and Pikachu is damaged by it but he gets back up and does another agility. Raichu is confused. Look at Pikachu go!' _

Both Pokemon were getting increasingly weaker. It was all down to which one would fall first. _'Pikachu seems the weaker of the two Pokemon as he gathers every last bit of energy to perform one more attack!' _'Pikachu, THUNDERSHOCK!' said Ash. _'...Pikachu tries his hardest...and...WOW! Lights up the whole stadium with his power! Raichu is gonna be badly damaged by this one. The light clears...and Raichu is on the floor. The ref comes up and...holds the GREEN flag up. _'Ash wins the battle and goes through to the 2nd round!' confirmed the referee. _'AND THERE IT IS! The green flag, meaning Ash has won the battle! WHAT a spectacular end to the battle and WHAT a great start for Ash Ketchum! His coaches come onto the area to celebrate and what spectacular scenes here as Ash wins 2-1, taking him through to the next round.'_

'Hmmph...anyone would think he won the tournament' said Gary Oak, Ash's arch-rival as he watched from the stands. Back on the ground. Ash goes up to shake hands with Tai. 'Great match Tai' said Ash. 'Congratulations, Ash, you deserve it' said Tai as he walked off. _'...And so, Ash is through to the second round,' _said the commentator. _'And it was a brilliant victory too. We'll have to keep watch of him and see how far he progresses...'_

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That's the end of chapter 3. Sorry for the shortness, it'sjust I can't really think of what else to go in there. He has the battle and he wins the battle. Anyway, keep on, the story'sjust getting exciting. Oh yeah, R and Rtoo:D


	4. Exploring the Village

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story.

This is a kind of 'inbetween the rounds' chapter. Previously, Ash won his first round battle against Tai Kitano from Yokohama, progressing through to the second round of the tournament.

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**Chapter 4: Exploring the Village**

Two days on from his victory, Ash and Misty were watching Thomas, their next-door neighbour, take on Amy, a female competitor from Manchester in the UK. He was currently 1-0 up. Brock came in. 'After the game, wanna go explore the village?' he asked. 'Yeah cool!' said Ash. 'We haven't been around here much have we so yeah, that would be great!' said Misty. Brock sat down and watched the rest of the match with them. Thomas went on to win 3-0 and came back to his lodge. Ash went over to congratulate him. 'Well done. I saw the match on TV.' said Ash. 'I know, I'm surprised I won.' 'Hey, wanna come over for dinner later?' asked Ash. ''That would be great' said Thomas.

Ash, Misty and Brock went off to explore the village. There was everything that a Pokemon World Cup contestant would need here including shops, cafes, a training room for Pokemon, a park for relaxation, and a Pokemon centre for injured ones. Ash spotted a videophone next to the entrance for the public toilets. 'I'm gonna phone Professor Oak and see how he's doing.' said Ash. He went over, put some money in the machine and dialed the number. In his laboratory, Professor Oak answered the phone. 'Hello?' said Professor Oak. 'Hi, it's me, Ash' said Ash back in the village. 'How are you?'. 'Ash! Great to hear from you. Did you hear about Gary's victory this morning?' 'Oh no! He didn't fall at the first hurdle after all!' Ash said in dissapointment. Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson, also came from Pallet and was Ash's arch-rival. 'How's life down there?' said the Professor. 'It's brill. We're living next door to a guy named Thomas from New York.' 'Aah...Thomas. I've heard he's great at Pokemon battles.' said Oak. 'Yeah, this morning he beat his opponent 3-0. Oh I gotta go, my money's running out. Bye!.' said Ash. 'Goodb-' said Professor Oak. The line was then cut off.

'Let's head over to the park. The Pokemon probably need some time out.' suggested Misty. 'Good idea!' agreed Ash. 'I need to go and get some grub for tonight' said Brock. 'Don't forget we've invited Tom over.' 'Oh yeah!' said Ash.

That evening, Tom came over for dinner. 'Hmm...I wonder if we'll meet each other in battle during this tournament?' he said after they had finished. 'I dunno' said Ash. The final first round match of the day had just ended on the TV. Tom was thinking about the match. _Hmm...I'll have to get some serious training in if I have to battle against her... _he thought. 'Hey, Tom?' said Ash. 'Fancy a practice match down at the training centre tomorrow morning?' 'Yeah, that'll be cool. 11am sound alright?' asked Tom. 'Alright, see you then.' said Ash.

The next morning, Ash and Thomas walked down to the training centre. When they got there, they went to the battle area. A man went up to them. 'Hello, you want to have a practice battle?' Surprised, Ash said, 'Yes.' 'OK, then I'll be your ref' replied the man. 'Pokemon out!' said the man when they got to their places. Ash chose a Squirtle and Thomas chose his Sandshrew. 'Battle!' said the ref.

The battle was intense. 'It looks as if you both needed that' said the ref as the battle (won by Sandshrew) ended. 'Yeah, we'll be ready for the second round draw in a few days!' 'OK then,' said the ref, 'I'll see you then'. 'Goodbye' said Ash and Thomas as they left the training centre to return back to their lodges.

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There you go. New feature that I'll try to put up atthe end of each story:

**NEXT TIME ON THE POKEMON WORLD CUP:**

Ash playshis second round match, but will he win and progress through to the quarter finals? Tune in (or whatever the Internet equivalent of tuning in is) next time!

...Oh, and whileyou're waiting, you could always review this chapter..Thanx


	5. Round Two! Fight!

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story.

It's now time for the second round of the Pokemon World Cup. Will Ash progress through to thequarter-finals. Read on to find out!**

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Chapter 5: Round Two! Fight!

The first day of Round 2 came and Ash went to the reception desk to decide his next opponent. He ended up choosing Paul, who came from New Zealand. The match started at 4pm that afternoon.

_'Welcome to Stadium C for the first of today's 2nd round matches, held between Ash Ketchum, who beat Tai Kitano in Round 1 to progress to this stage, and Paul, the New Zealand national champion. This is going to be a fantastic clash between these two. The winner of today's match will be the first person to go through to the quarter-finals, so it's gonna be tense. And here come the players now. Ash, as usual, is opting to play on the green end whilst Paul goes for the red._

The ref came up to explain the rules. 'OK, this match is a best of 5, first to 3 victories wins the match.They both shook hands. _'They go to their ends and the ref signals for them to choose their Pokemon. Ash is going for Kingler whilst Paul plays Growlithe. The ref blows the whistle, and we're away! Kingler straight onto the attack with his hyper beam. Ooh...that's gonna do some damage to Growlithe in this early stage of the game. Growlithe fights back with an ember attack and Kingler's hard shell protects it from injury. Kingler appears to be the stronger out of these two but Growlithe is putting up quite a fight. Anyway, here come Kingler with a tackle attack and...OH MY GOODNESS, knocks Growlithe up in the air and down to the floor. Will he get up again? The ref comes over...and holds up the green flag, signalling a first-battle victory for Ash.'_

'Yes!' said Ash. 'That was interesting...' said Brock. _'Paul chooses his next Pokemon, a Pikachu? This is bad for Kingler. Pikachu does the first attack...a thundershock, which, fact fans, is the attack that won Ash's first round match with his own Pikachu. Here it comes and...WOW! Kingler, straight onto the floor. If the red flag goes up this will be the shortest battle in Pokemon World Cup history. And yes...there it is, Paul wins the second match just about a minute after he started it. Kingler must have been weakened by his previous battle. 1-1 now. Can Ash bring himself back up from this?'_

Ash chose Muk for his next Pokemon and he won that battle.

_'2-1 now to Ash. If he wins this next match he will go through to the quarter-finals. If Paul wins, we continue. Ash chooses...Pikachu! This is it folks, Pikachu vs Pikachu. Both equal in strength. This one is just down to who is the better Pokemon. Ash starts with a electric shock and Paul fights back with thunderbolt.'_

10 minutes later they were still battling. _'I don't know which way this game is gonna go folks. I've never seen a match quite as tense as this. Both Pokemon don't want to lose this one but unfortunately, one has to. But which one? Ash's Pikachu or Paul's. Anyway, here comes Ash's Pikachu...and does an _amazing _thundershock. What's this...Paul's Pikachu badly damaged by that attack. Can he get up again...?_

The ref came up... 'Pikachu is no longer able to battle. Ash wins the battle, and the match 3-1. The crowd roared. Ash had won the second round. _'This is a brilliant player. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet, has won his second round battle against Paul from New Zealand, taking him through to the final 8!'_

Misty and Brock came up to celebrate with Ash. Paul came up and congratulated Ash on his victory. 'I hope we'll meet up again someday' he said. 'I'm sure we will' said Ash.

_'And so, Ash Ketchum becomes the first of our quarter-finalists. We'll need to decide on 7 more over the next few days, so stay tuned...'_

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There ya have it!Round 2 complete.

**NEXT TIME ON THE POKEMON WORLD CUP**

Coming up in chapter 6, something threatens to put the entire tournament into jeopardy. What happens next.Find outin chapter 6!

R and R


	6. Disaster!

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story

Ash won his second round match against Paul from New Zealand in the last chappie, but now something threatens to terminate the entire contest...**

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Chapter 6: Disaster!

The next morning, Brock was up first cooking breakfast. Ash was watching TV in the lounge. _'We interrupt this broadcast for a special news bulletin. NEWSFLASH! An explosion has occurred just metres away from the famous Indigo Stadium, currently playing host to the Pokemon World Cup.' _Ash called Brock and Misty to the TV. 'What's the problem?' asked Misty. 'Just watch this!' said Ash.

_'...the explosion happened at about 5.20 this morning and police have asked everyone within a 200m radius to evacuate the area.' _Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was a policeman. 'Grab your pokeballs and your bags and evacuate immediately' he said. 'I need to turn the oven off before we cause even more disaster' said Brock. The others went and got their stuff and left the house, Brock following a few minutes later. 'Follow me' said the policeman, and he took them to a building just on the outskirts of the village, where the other contenders and their friends were. Ash, Misty and Brock took a seat and Brock got out his battery-powered radio. _'We now go live to a news conference with the president of the I.P.A, John Williams.' 'We would like to make the following statement. The Pokemon World Cup has been temporarily put on hold due to the explosion which occurred this morning. However, all the players should not return to their home countries because we are hopeful that the tournament will continue soon. Thankfully no-one was hurt in the blast which happened at 5.20 this morning just outside Stadium A. Please stay tuned to local radio and television for further announcements.'_

The room was gradually filling with other people. A TV had been put up on one side of the room, offering coverage of the events. 'Hey guys!' Paul, the New Zealander whom Ash had beaten in yesterday's second round match, came up to them. 'You haven't seen my Pikachu anywhere have you?' 'Not since yesterday' said Misty. 'He's gone off somewhere and I don't know where he is.' said Paul. 'We'll help you find him if you want' said Brock. 'Oh no you don't' said a policeman from behind them as they went towards the door. 'It's too dangerous to go out there' 'But we're looking for someone's Pikachu!' said Misty. 'Whos? Is he lost?' asked the policeman. 'A guy named Paul. Over there!' Ash pointed towards Paul. 'OK' said the policeman.

'I really need to get a bite to eat,' said Ash, 'Don't forget, we haven't had breakfast yet.' 'Yeah, I know...wait...is that what I think it is?' said Misty. 'It's a snack bar!' said Brock. 'WOOHOO!' said Ash and before anyone could stop him, he ran straight to the food counter. 'I wanna egg and bacon sandwich!' demanded Ash. 'There were other people infront of you, sir, could you get to the back of the queue please?' Ash looked behind and saw about 10 or so angry faces. 'He-he...sorry' said Ash and took his place in the queue.

Pikachu was looking around when he spotted a familiar face. He ran up to it. It was Paul's Pikachu, whom he had lost. Pikachu pulled on Ash's leg and showed him. Ash ran out of the queue and straight to Paul. 'We found Pikachu for ya!' said Ash. 'Oh thanks a lot Ash.' said Paul. 'Don't thank me, thank Pikachu!'

Just then a policeman came up and asked everyone to turn their attentions to the TV. He switched it on... _'We have a special news announcement. Now live to the president of the I.P.A in a special news conference.' 'We are very pleased to inform you that the tournament will go on. The fire didn't damage much of the stadium itself and therefore it is safe for play. A double-bill of second-round matches will take place this evening from 5pm. Thanks to everyone for their support and to the police officers for evacuating the area so quickly. Now, let the games continue!'_

After the announcement, everyone cheered. 'Nice to see things getting back to normal again,' said Ash. 'NOW I REALLY NEED SOME FOOD!'

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...and hegot his food. Eventually...

**NEXT TIME:**

It's the quarter finals! Ash is one step closer to realising his dream, but will the dream be shattered? It all depends on whether he wins this crucial match!

R and R


	7. The Quarter Finals

DISCLAIMER: Don't ownPokemon, doown this story

It's now time for the 1/4 finals now, will Ashgo through to the final4?**

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Chapter 7: The Quarter-Finals

_'Welcome to the Stadium D for the third quarter-final match of this Pokemon World Cup tournament. The winner will join Thomas and Gary in the semis to be held in the main Indigo Stadium from next week, which is the final week of the tournament. Don't forget tonight we also have our final quarter-final match between Spain's very own Pedro and the British champion Harry. That's later, but now our attentions are turned to current affairs, namely this match between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Japan and newcomer Kohama from Beijing, China. Kohama was one of the underdogs at the start of this contest, but she's proven her worth in previous rounds, as for Ash, he's a favourite with the crowd here. And here they come now, to a rapturous welcome as always from this large crowd here today. No doubt they have come to see a great match between these two, and that's what we hope they'll get.'_

The referee came up to them. 'OK, this one is a best of 7, the first one to 4 victories wins.'

_'OK, here we go...Ash going for Pidgeotto for this first round and Kohama chooses a Charmeleon. Charmeleon comes forward with a slash, but Pidgeotto dodges it. Now it's his turn, he blows his opponent away with a gust of wind which almost knocked both human competitors off their platforms. That's powerful stuff there from Pidgeotto. Charmeleon does an ember attack which hits Pidgeotto right where he wants it. Pidgeotto is brought down, and I'm not surprised, the ref comes up and holds the red flag up. 1-0 to Kohama. This isn't good for Ash if he wants to stay in the competiton'_

And things didn't improve either. He lost the next two matches. If he lost one more, he'd be out of the competition. _'3-0 now to Kohama, 1 more from victory. Ash, playing Squirtle comes forward and does a water-gun attack, hitting Beedrill and bringing him to the floor. Ash wins his first victory in this match. 3-1 now and it's not over yet.'_

The commentator was right, it definitely wasn't over yet. Ash, 3-0 down at the break, came back to 3-2 against Kohama, with a chance for a third victory looming.

_'This is ab-so-lute-ly incredible. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet, is hoping to pull off the greatest comeback in the history of the Pokemon World Cup. Dodrio, playing for Kohama, does a peck attack against Charmander, playing for Ash. Charmander...with an ember attack...this is it...YES! HE DOES IT! Pulls it off. The greatest comeback in the history of the world cup is about to happen. The ref holds up the green flag and it's all down to the final battle for a place in the semi-finals and one step closer to that all-important title of Pokemon World Champion._

Ash played Muk for his final effort, whilst Kohama played Hitmonchan. The battle was intense as both players gave their all for that one place in the semis.

_'Things are hotting up here...Hitmonchan and Muk are fighting to the very end. Hitmonchan punches Muk's sludgy body several times, but to no avail. Muk corners Hitmonchan and squashes him...now we need to wait for him to walk away to find out the verdict...the ref comes up and..._'Hitmonchan is no longer able to battle. Ash wins 3-4!' The crowd roared. _'YES! Ash Ketchum from Pallet has won the quarter-final match of the Pokemon World Cup to progress to the semis. Well done to him. His friends come onto the ground to celebrate with him. Kohama put up quite a fight, but to no avail. Ash goes through, and this year we're going to have a male champ as Kohama was the last girl in the contest. So it's Gary, Thomas and Ash through to the semis...who will join them...will it be Pedro or Harry...stay tuned to find out...'_

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So Ash is through to the semis. Join me next time when Ash comes up against one of the greatest challenges he has ever faced...

R and R


	8. Fight for the Final

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story

It's now time for the semi final stage of the Pokemon World Cup. We're getting there guys...keep on**

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Chapter 8: Fight for the Final**

That evening, Ash was at home watching the final match of the quarter-final with Misty and Brock. Pedro won 4-0 and so the final four places were taken. Tomorrow would be the draw to decide who would play who. Would he be paired up with his arch-rival Gary, or his new friend Thomas, or even Pedro, who was his country's best at Pokemon. Whoever it was, it was sure to be a great match. The next morning, Ash went to the receptionists for the draw. 'Here is the draw for the semi finals of the Pokemon World Cup. The official pressed a button which started the balls rolling. He picked out a ball...'Pedro...will face...' The others waited with baited breath. '...Gary. That also means that Ash will face Thomas.' Ash and Thomas both looked at each other. The pair, who had become friends since the league started, now have to face each other in battle for a place in the final. He went back to his lodge. Misty and Brock were waiting for the news. 'Guys...' he said as he walked through the door. '...I'm playing against...Thomas.' Misty and Brock both gasped. The match was going to be held on that day at about 5pm. '...and I suppose Gary's facing Pedro?' guessed Misty. 'You got it!' said Ash.

The next morning, Ash was walking in the park with Brock. 'I'm excited about my match this afternoon' said Ash. 'Yeah, it's gonna be good I reckon' said Brock.'

That afternoon, Ash was waiting in the tunnel to be introduced by the announcer. _'Welcome to the Indigo Stadium for this crucial semi-final clash between Ash and Thomas for a place in the Pokemon World Cup Final! And now, please welcome our first contestant, Ash!' _Ash came out of the tunnel to a roar from the crowd. _'Next, please welcome his opponent, Thomas!' _Thomas came out and took his place. The ref came up to them. 'Best of 10, the first to 6 wins! If it's a draw, we go into a tie-breaker battle.' Ash and Thomas shook hands and went to their podiums. _'Here we go...we're just a possible 11 battles away from finding out our first finalist. Ash begins with Charmander and Thomas goes for a Butterfree. Charmander gets the mercury rising with an ember attack, which is dodged well by Butterfree. Next up Butterfree blows everyone away with a gust of wind. This commentator wonders, how many more bad puns can I come up with before the battle is up? Anyway, Charmander onto the attack. He takes a swipe at Butterfree with his claw and...ooh, hits him straight on the wings. Butterfree, down on the floor, the ref comes up...and it's victory for Ash on this first round.'_

The pair were playing like champions. Six matches later, it was 4-3 to Thomas. Everytime Ash won a battle, Tom won the next. Who was going to win in this battle of friend vs friend. The answer came about half-an-hour later...

_'...If he gets this one and knocks Ash down, he goes through. If not, we go into tie-break situation. Ash's Pikachu, with thundershock...Beedrill is down and out. That's it! We go into a tie-break situation with Ash vs Thomas playing one battle for that crucial place in the final tomorrow afternoon. Don't forget this afternoon, we have the second semi-final between Gary and Pedro followed by the 3rd-place play-off between the two runners up of these semis. Anyway, the players come out for this final battle. One Pokemon each, the last one standing wins the match. Ash chooses Squirtle...and Thomas goes for a Ivysaur, recently evolved from Bulbasaur during his second-round match, a spectacle for the fans no doubt. The match begins and both players launch forth with a barrage of attacks...'_

The match lasted for over 15 minutes. None of the two players were gonna give up soon. _'A quarter of an hour into the game, and we're still undecided. At this rate, the second semi might be postponed for an hour or so. Both players are feeling the pressure as Squirtle launches with a water gun attack and...WOW! SENSATIONALLY KNOCKS IVYSAUR ONTO THE FLOOR! This could be it folks, we might have our finalist here. The ref comes up to check Ivy's condition and...yes! The crowd cheers say it all. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, has made it to the final of the Pokemon World Cup. He must be absolutely over the moon. He goes over to congratulate his friend, Thomas, on a great match...' _'That was probably one of the hardest battles in ages' said Ash. 'Yeah. Well done on your victory Ash. Now go out there and beat your opponent!' said Thomas. 'Good luck in the play-off' said Ash. _'...Ash walks off to cheers from the crowd, no doubt off to do some serious training for the final tomorrow afternoon...'_

That afternoon, the second semi-final was decided. Ash watched on the TV, eager to find out who his opponent was. Misty and Brock were watching the game too. Later on, the winner of the match was announced...

_'Yes, we have our final two. It's gonna be Ash Ketchum vs Gary Oak for the 2006 Pokemon World Cup Final. We now know that Pallet town will be home to the trophy come Saturday, but who will be lifting it on tomorrow night's Closing Ceremony, which includes the trophy presentation.'_

Also, Thomas managed to win his third-place play-off, earning him a bronze medal. The only thing to decide now was who was gonna get the trophy, and, most importantly, the title of Pokemon World Champion. The stage was set for the biggest match of both of their lives. Arch-enemies from the start, but who was going to come out on top?

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Right, next time, it's the big one, The Pokemon World Cup Final. Will Ash overcome this challenge as he finally gets to battle his arch-rival for the ultimate prize, the title of Pokemon World Champion? Find out in Chapter 9!

R and R


	9. The Pokemon World Cup Final

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story

Right, this is it! The final of the Pokemon World Cup. Who will emerge victorious? Gary Oak or Ash Ketchum? Read on to find out as this tournament draws to a close**

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Chapter 9: The Pokemon World Cup Final

_'...A warm welcome to the Indigo Stadium for the build-up to today's Pokemon World Cup final. A full house has turned up to see who will be crowned world champion. Both players are in the tunnel. preparing for the biggest match of their lives. 15 Pokemon each, the first one to 8 victories wins the Pokemon World Cup. We're live in Pallet Town, in a pub with Ash's friends and family and in the laboratory of the famous Professor Oak, who is, of course, Gary's grandfather, along with other members of Gary's support group...'_

Misty and Brock were giving Ash some final words of support before they headed to their seats. 'You can do it Ash. Go out there and win!' said Brock. 'Yeah, it's time to show Gary who's the better Master.' said Misty. Back out in the stadium, the pre-match action was beginning. _'...And now, here comes the trophy, the prize which our two finalists are playing for. The flame is burning brightly as the trohpy is placed on a table in between the two player entrance tunnels.' _An announcer went onstage. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the final of the 2005 Pokemon World Cup,' he said, 'Today we will decide who is the Pokemon World Champion and who is worthy of the title of a Pokemon Master. And now, please welcome our two finalists, ASH KETCHUM AND GARY OAK!' The crowd cheered as several fireworks went off from a corner of the field. _'A rapturous welcome for these two here today.' _The two finalists stood next to the trophy table with the President of the IPA, John Williams, for a photograph, and then everything was cleared for the match to begin.

_'THIS IS IT! The match that will decide the 2005 Pokemon World Champion is about to get underway. They each have 15 Pokemon and the first one to 8 victories is the winner of the 2005 Pokemon World Cup. It's about 4pm now and we should have a winner by 7pm tonight, then we go almost immediately into the closing ceremony with the trophy presentation. The ref signals the match to start, and we're away! Gary chooses his Nidoking for his first attempt, whereas Ash goes for Muk. Muk, gaining the first attack, hits Nidoking with a sludge attack. Nidoking gains the advantage with a tackle attack. Signs of nerves from both players here. Muk, with a powerful screech that not only hurts Nidoking's ears, but everyone elses, including mine! Nidoking counter-attacks with a poison sting...which hits Muk direct to the ground. And I'm not surprised, the ref comes up and signals a first round victory for Gary! 1-0 to him now.'_

Things didn't improve for Ash. By the half-way break, it was 5-2 to Gary. Just 3 more victories for him would win him the cup. But Ash still had hope that he could pull back from this loss. _'5.30pm now, and as the sun sets on this final day of the World Cup, the final is still to be decided. 5-2 to Gary and Ash dosen't seem to be playing as well as he has in previous matches. Anyway, Ash uses Charmeleon, just yesterday he evolved from Charmander, giving him a last-minute boost. Gary plays his Arcanine. Fire vs fire, this should be interesting. Charmeleon onto the attack with a slash attack...ooh, that's gotta hurt. Arcanine leaps up and does a take down attack, pushing Charmeleon to the floor. But he gets back up again and performs a spectacular ember attack, toasting Arcanine. Ash wins his 3rd victory, making it 5-3 to Gary. Don't forget, the player that reaches 8 victories first is the winner and Pokemon World Champion...'_

The match continued for another hour and then it came to the crucial final moments of the tournament. _'...Ash, coming forward with his Lapras who performs a water gun attack and...takes Sandslash down! The referee comes up to Sandslash and...HOLDS the green flag up. A spectacular performance from these two contestants...it's now 7 victories apiece and it's all down to the 15th and final battle as to who wins the 2005 Pokemon World Cup. It's now 6.35pm and the sun has set on this final day of the tournament. We're about to make history here. Who will join the hall of fame of previous Pokemon World Champions. Will it be Ash or Gary? It's all down to this final battle. Gary goes for a Kingler whilst Ash chooses Pikachu. The ref blows his whistle and Kingler does a bubble attack on Pikachu, which damages it badly. Pikachu performs agility, confusing Kingler...'_

The match continued for about 20 minutes and the Pokemon were getting weaker and weaker. 'Hold on in there Pikachu' said Ash, who was feeling the pressure, as was his rival Gary 'Not long to go, Kingler' _'Both contestants feeling the nerves and I'm not surprised...this is the final match of the final of the Pokemon World Cup after all. Kingler, with his claw attack, grips onto Pikachu with immense force, piling on the pressure. Will Pikachu be able to hold on!'_

Both players were visibly shaking, trying to get a hold of themselves. It was all simply down to who would fall first. _'I have to say though, whoever wins this match, both players should be very proud of themselves. They have produced a final like no other.' _Then all of a sudden, a thought struck Ash. Water conducts electricity. All he had to do was wait for a water attack from Kingler and then he could strike.

'Kingler, bubble attack!' said Gary. 'Now Pikachu, for the tournament, THUNDERSHOCK!' said Ash. _'WOW! The whole stadium lights up and...we wait for the smoke to clear. The ref is ready with flag in hand. The smoke clears and...' _The crowd suddenly erupted with a loud cheer. _'THERE IT IS! THE GREEN FLAG! ASH KETCHUM HAS WON THE POKEMON WORLD CUP!' _Ash just stood there for a second, wondering what had just happened. Then it sank in...he won the match. The scoreboard lit up and that confirmed everything. Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town was the winner of the Pokemon World Cup, the biggest prize in Pokemon. Misty and Brock ran down the aisle onto the field and hugged him. Finally Ash suddenly erupted... 'YYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!'

Then Gary walked up to him. 'For the first time I can say I was beaten fair and square' he said, 'Congratulations Ash. You should be proud of yourself!' Meanwhile in the pub in Pallet, everyone was cheering and clapping.

_'Well, five weeks on from the start, we now have a champion. Join us in a few minutes for the closing ceremony and trophy presentation!'_

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So there you have it. Coming up next...Let the celebrations begin!


	10. The Champion!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon, or We are the champions by queen. I do own this story

Ash Ketchum has just won the Pokemon World Cup. Now it's time for the partying to begin atthe Closing Ceremony.

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**Chapter 10: The Champion!**

_'Welcome back to the Pokemon World Cup. We have just witnessed history in the making as Ash Ketchum, 14 years old, from Pallet, has just beaten Gary Oak, 16 years old, also from Pallet, to win the 2006 Pokemon World Cup.' _Backstage, all 32 players were preparing for the closing ceremony, Ash Ketchum trying hard to take it all in. Everyone was coming up to congratulate him. Then it was time for it to start.

_'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the closing ceremony of the 2006 Pokemon World Cup, where we will officially crown our new world champion!' _Then the performances started. These lasted for about an hour, featuring various giant models of Pokemon being brought to life, and musical performances by some of the worlds best known musicians. After the performances came to an end with a short pyro (fireworks) display, the announcer came back on. _'What a brilliant finish to a fantastic show. Thank you to everyone who took part in the performances there for your time and effort in making this the greatest World Cup closing ceremony ever. Now it's time for the moment you've been waiting for. First of all, we would like to introduce the 28 contestants who took part but didn't make it to the semis. You will all be presented with special Pokemon World Cup badges to show that you took part. Please keep these as a memento of your experience and to show to your kids or grandkids, and pass on the spirit of the World Cup to the next generation of contenders.' _They all came out and took the badges from John Williams, President of the IPA. When they collected their badges, they took their seats facing the podium. _'And now, our fourth place semi-finalist, Pedro!' _Pedro came up onto the podium to collect his medal. He went up to the microphone. 'Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the course of my journey and this tournament.' he said. He took his place on the stage. _'Next up, in third place, please welcome onstage, Thomas!' _Thomas also came out and collected his bronze medal. He also gave a short speech. 'I'd like to thank all of my friends and family and also all the Gym Leaders I've had to face for giving me a real challenge. Thanx!' He went and sat next to Pedro. _'And now it's time for our finalists. Please welcome, the runner up of the 2005 Pokemon World Cup, from Pallet Town, Gary Oak!' _Gary came out to a rapturous applause from the crowd and the contenders. He went onstage and collected his prize, which was a small silver trophy. He also collected his participants badge, as did everyone else before him. The crowd then stood up. They were ready for him. Ash waited just inside the entrance to the tunnel. He released all his Pokemon for the special moment of glory. Then he waited for the announcer's words...

_'And now, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to welcome the 2006 Pokemon World Champion and his Pokemon. From Pallet, Ash...Ketchum!' _Everyone stood up and erupted with noise as he walked into the stadium with all his Pokemon by his side. Misty and Brock joined him out there. He collected his participant's medal and stood on the podium, Misty and Brock on either side, with all his Pokemon behind him (except for Pikachu, who was on his shoulder). He went up to the mic to say a few words. 'Thank you to all of the people I've battled against, to Misty and Brock, to all my Pokemon. This is your moment too. I hope you'll enjoy it.' The president spoke to Ash, saying 'Congratulations!' as he handed him the trophy. He waited for a few seconds, whispering 'You ready?' to Pikachu. 'Pika pika' said Pikachu. He then lifted the trophy up in the air. The crowd roared as Ash was showered with tickertape. On the stadium roof, fireworks began to shoot up into the air. 'We are the champions' played out to the crowds. It was now official. Ash was the world champion of Pokemon! _'Absolutely spectacular scenes here at the Indigo Stadium as the fireworks go off all over the place. The stadium floor is covered with tickertape as Ash celebrates his victory! He runs along the field and does a lap of honour with his Pokemon and the celebrations look set to continue long into the night. Well, folks, that's it! I hope you've enjoyed our coverage of the league, and until 2008, it's goodnight from us. GOODNIGHT!'_

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Next time: The celebrations move to Ash's home town as he recieves a hero's welcome. It'll be the finalchapter as well.

R and R


	11. Pallet Parties!

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, do own this story

It's the last chapter of this story now, and the celebrations move to Pallet Town...**

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Chapter 11: Pallet Parties!

The next morning, Ash woke up and immediately noticed the trophy on his bedside cabinet. Then it dawned on him. He was the world champion. Memories came flooding of the previous night's events. What a night it was! And the party looked set to continue today as he was going to leave for Pallet town. He wondered what the reaction there would be...

About an hour later, Thomas called. 'Hi Ash!' said Thomas as Ash opened the door. 'I just called to say goodbye. I'm heading back to New York' 'It's been great knowing you' said Brock. 'Yeah, wanna keep in touch?' said Thomas. 'Cool!' said Ash. Thomas gave Ash his phone number on a slip of paper. 'OK, goodbye guys!' said Thomas. And with that, he went off to the airport. 'He's a good person, isn't he?' said Misty. 'Yeah' said Ash.

They went in to get their bags and stuff as a taxi drove up to their lodge to take them to the airport. They packed the trophy in a cardboard box, making sure to keep it well protected. Then they went out of the lodge for the final time, Brock locking the door on the other side. The taxi stopped by the receptionist so Ash could return the key. He went up to the receptionist and handed back the key. 'Congratulations on winning the cup' said the receptionist. 'Thank you' said Ash. He left the receptionists office and got back into the taxi.

They got to the airport and after a three-hour flight, they finally arrived at the nearest airport to Pallet. When they got off, a small crowd was there to see them. Ash came out of the plane, holding the trophy. The guards took him straight to the car which would take him home.

As they drove towards his house, the crowd was gradually getting larger. They got to his house and Ash got out of the car to a hero's welcome. He was finally home! His mother ran up to him and gave him a big hug. Normally, Ash would be embarrased about this in public, but today, he didn't mind. Practically everyone Ash had shared his journey with were there. Professor Oak, Ash's parents and even Gary and Team Rocket were there. Now that Ash's journey was over, there was no point in carrying on trying to steal Pikachu. James went up to him 'Congratulations on winning the cup' he said. 'Oh thanks James' said Ash. He was somewhat surprised. That was the first time ever that James had complimented him. Misty came up to him. 'Why don't you let your Pokemon out Ash, after all, they helped you win the cup' she said. 'Good idea, Misty. Come on out everyone!' said Ash. And all his Pokemon, Charmeleon, Pidgeotto and everyone else, came out of their Pokeballs.

Later on that afternoon, there was a public gathering in the main town square to celebrate Ash's victory. Thousands gathered there for the main celebrations. Ash got out of the car behind the stage. The announcer was building up to his arrival. The local television network was covering this event live. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, from Pallet Town, your town, please welcome onstage, the new Pokemon World Champion, ASH KETCHUM!' The crowd erupted with a massive cheer as Ash ran onstage. Once again he was showered with tickertape, just like the moment he lifted the trophy for the first time. He once again lifted it up into the air. The crowd cheered. Then when everything calmed down, he was handed a microphone.

'Ladies and gentlemen, I would firstly like to thank my mom and Professor Oak for helping me to start my journey, and providing me with my first Pokemon. I would definitely like to thank my Pokemon for winning the tournament. And I would like to thank Misty and Brock and all the other people I've met on my journey. You've been there during thick and thin. I would also like to thank Gary Oak for being such a fantastic opponent during the final. I would have been just as happy if it were you standing here now. Also, thanks to Jessie, James and Meowth, aka Team Rocket, for trying your best at stealing my Pikachu.' Everyone laughed. 'Maybe next time, eh?' 'And I would finally like to thank you guys for being here today and for supporting me during the tournament. I couldn't have wished for a better home town! Thanks!'

Everyone cheered as Ash lifted the trophy one last time. And with that, it was just Ash, Misty and Brock in the square. 'So what are you going to do now, since you're world champ. You've acheived your goal, so now what?' asked Misty. 'I've decided I'm going to take things a little easier now. I'm definitely going to keep the Pokemon, and keep them strong, but I'll only take part in friendly tournaments for charity and stuff. What about you?' said Ash. 'I've decided to go back to my home in Cerulean City and look after the gym with my sisters.' she said. 'And I've got to go back to Pewter gym because my father unfortunately passed away about a year ago and there's only my eldest brother to look after them, so I'm going back' said Brock. 'That's sad about your father' said Misty. 'Yeah I know. Well Ash, this is goodbye I suppose' said Brock, shaking Ash's hand. Then they both said 'Ah, go on then' and hugged each other. Then he went off. 'Hold on Misty' he said as she was about to leave. 'You said about...' then he presented Misty with a new bike. 'Remember at the start of the...' He was interrupted. 'Oh thank you Ash' she said and hugged him. 'It's been greating knowing you Ash' she said as she got on her bike. If you're not busy one day you could come down to the gym.' 'Thanks' said Ash. 'Well, so long' said Misty as she sped off down the road. 'Well Pikachu, just you, me, and my other Pokemon' said Ash as Pikachu climbed up on his shoulder. And with that, they went off into the sunset, holding the trophy aloft. Ash Ketchum was finally POKEMON CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!

**THE END**

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That's it...the end of the story. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed.

R and R


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